Yacht charter broker Mark Elliott knows the Caribbean like the back of his hand. Here, he shares his love of Grenada, St Lucia and the surrounding islands.
One of my most favourite spots in the world has to be the island of Grenada, the ‘Spice Island’. In my opinion the best place to stay in Grenada is at the moorings at Secret Harbour Marina located in Mount Hartman Bay.
Having travelled the region extensively I have made some fantastic friends in the region and can thoroughly recommend for any tours visit Henry’s Safari Tours. Henry is a friend of mine and can be reached via VHF on Channel 68.
While in Grenada, the waterfront and fish market in capital, St Georges are very colourful and worth a visit. For the adventurer, a hike up to Seven Sisters waterfalls is just spectacular. Concord Falls are also very pretty and easy to get to. At sunset there is a cute French restaurant at the main beach (Grand Anse) called Coconut Beach (no shoes necessary) that has great food and atmosphere.
Heading north to Carriacou, there is a very private beach located just off White Island, on the south side, that is good for a day anchorage. At night move into Tyrrel Bay. In the Grenadines, the food of choice is that which is offered by the local fishermen that come to your boat. Some of the local boys will even row out to offer you fresh oysters. The oysters are small and tangy but tasty. Or you can have live lobsters and fresh fish brought right to your boat. I also recommend sourcing some crawfish from the local rivers.
Heading north, you’ll clear into customs at Union Isle, which is a good place to get some provisions. Palm Island is a nice day anchorage with a pretty beach, while Petite St Vincent is a great anchorage and nice resort.
You will definitely want to visit the Tobago Cays. Not only are they beautiful, they offer great diving and snorkelling.
Continuing north to Canouan, there is a nice anchorage in Charlestown Bay and the Tamarind Beach Hotel & Yacht Club is a good place for a respite.
Mustique is a private, wealthy island and a favourite among famous people. Because the anchorage is a bit rough, you may want to spend the night elsewhere. Basil’s Bar is the spot and they have a nice gift shop.
Bequia is a great anchorage and the island has many nice restaurants (such as the Frangipani) around the harbour. There is a very interesting housing complex built in caves on the southwest side of the island named ‘MoonHole’, where you can cruise very close to shore and have a look. The town is famous for small hand-carved boats that are colourful and make nice gifts.
Onwards to St. Vincent you will want to pick up mooring balls from Tango Charlie. He is on Channel 16 and you should tie up between Young Island and the main land. Young Island is very nice and a great place to have drinks or dinner. It is one of my favourite places.
On a yacht charter in St. Lucia, it is best to clear customs in Marigot Bay. It is a very nice location, with a well-protected anchorage. Hurricane Hole, despite its name, is actually a nice place to dock and has a fascinating history. From there head south to the Pitons. Ask for Benny on VHF Channel 16. He is a friend of mine and will organise a great tour for you.
Start with the Stonefield Plantation which is a working coconut plantation, then move on to visit the volcano with its sulphur springs which are rumoured to have medicinal properties. At the end of the day make reservations for a spectacular sunset dinner at Dasheene Restaurant.